When did you launch, and who is behind the business?
Pizza Metro Pizza was founded around 30 years ago, in the early 1990s. The business was founded, owned, and is still led by me – I am also the head chef.
When did your ‘lightbulb moment’ happen?
The lightbulb moment came when I realised London was ready for authentic Italian pizza made with absolute respect for tradition, but also with room to evolve. I saw an opportunity to bring real Neapolitan technique to Battersea while developing my own contemporary interpretation over time.
What did you do prior to starting your business?
Before opening Pizza Metro, I worked in Italian kitchens and pizzerias, learning the craft from the ground up. Those early years taught me discipline, respect for ingredients, and the importance of consistency, important lessons I still rely on today.
How and where did you learn to make pizza?
I learned pizza-making in Italy — I’m from Napoli and grew up there — through hands-on experience and mentorship from traditional pizzaioli (skilled, professional pizza makers). I moved to London in 1997; my wife Gina is English. Over the years, I refined my skills through constant experimentation, competition cooking and studying dough fermentation, flour behaviour and oven technique
Do you have any well-known customers?
Over three decades, we have welcomed many well-known faces from sport, television and the arts. However, what matters most to me is that our regular local customers return with their children and extended families that loyalty means more than celebrity names.
What were the three biggest challenges when setting up the business?
Educating the market – authentic Neapolitan (what is this?) pizza was not widely understood in London when we started.
Consistency at scale – maintaining quality every single day.
Survival during tough periods – economic downturns, rising costs and most recently global uncertainty and always having to be versatile.
Do you have a signature pizza?
Yes. Our signature pizzas are defined by 72-hour fermented dough, which creates lightness, flavour and digestibility. Simplicity is key, excellent flour, proper fermentation, high-quality Italian ingredients and correct oven temperature. Nothing is rushed and of course our Highly Famous Metre long Pizzas.
What lessons have you learned from running a business through uncertain times?
Stay adaptable, protect your quality and never lose connection with your customers. Difficult times test your values, if you stay true to them, your customers stay loyal.
Tell us about your Italian Pizza DOC award.
In December 2023, I competed in Pizza DOC held in Paestum, in the south of Naples, one of the most prestigious pizza competitions in Italy, with over 700 international competitors. I was honoured to be crowned World Champion 2023–2024. It was a deeply emotional moment, a recognition from the home of pizza that validates a lifetime of dedication.
If you could start again, what would you do differently?
I would trust my instincts sooner and worry less about pleasing everyone. Authenticity always wins in the long run.
What makes a great pizza?
Great dough, patience, balance, and respect for tradition combined with passion. Pizza is simple food, but it demands precision.
What three tips would you give aspiring entrepreneurs?
Master your craft before scaling.
Always be present, especially in the early years.
Build relationships, not just a brand.
Finish this sentence: I like being based in Wandsworth because…
I am part of a genuine community that supports independent businesses and values quality, tradition, and family.
Where can people find you?
64 Battersea Rise, SW11 1EQ